


What is Normal?

by TheShadowKeeper



Series: Velocity [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-11 21:31:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15980912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShadowKeeper/pseuds/TheShadowKeeper
Summary: Alex Queen has lost all hope of his adopted brother's return, but after five years he's back. He's back and with a proposition for Alex that will change everything for him. Alex has spent the last thirteen years trying to live a normal life, but Alex should know someone like him is incapable of living a normal life.





	1. Welcome Home

**Author's Note:**

> Before you begin reading I have a few things to address. First off, there is a Felicity/OC story out there called Velocity. I'm a friend of the author and she gave me permission to use her idea because she is no longer writing her story. So this story will have a superhero by the name of Velocity and his background will be similar, but I'm changing things from her story. The hero's name will be Alex.
> 
> Second of all, this will be a series known as Velocity, but like the CW hero shows there will be spin offs. I'll be following the universe, so after the second book (Which will follow the second season) I will also do a series called Nightshade, which follows the Flash. I will do the same thing with the Flash as Arrow after book 2 then I will do a series following the Supergirl series under the series name as Tempest. And if there is another show added to that universe then I will do the same thing.
> 
> Third and finally, I will change a few things within the show because of the whole butterfly thing (One small change can result in big changes), so because I added a character it'll change things. I will keep to the timeline though, so don't worry.
> 
> With that said, I hope you enjoy this series. :)

When Alex got the call he was just walking into the hospital for work. He never thought he'd see the day when Oliver came home. It's been five years since Oliver has been missing. He and Robert Queen had gone on their yacht and were never heard from again. Alex hadn't the water, so he never went, but some days he wished he had. It's been a long miserable five years without Oliver, without his best friend. Thirteen years ago Alex had been nothing, but a twelve-year-old boy living on the streets of Starling. He had no family, no money, and barely any food to survive on. When the Queens found him and took him he got the family he never had. Oliver became not just a brother, but his best friend.

Of course, being Oliver's friend was never easy. Before Oliver disappearance, he had gotten into a lot of trouble with the cops and paparazzi from his nightly clubbing. Most of it was because of Tommy Merlyn, Oliver's other best friend who took him out and got him drunk and acting out. Despite all of this Alex has never met someone who cared more about him. Oliver had faults, everyone did, but he was always there for Alex. If Alex had another nightmare or panic attack then you can guarantee that Oliver will be right there beside him. Alex lost track of how many nights Oliver spent laying in Alex's bed after a nightmare. Oliver understood Alex like no one else and he knew things that Alex shared with very few people. The years spent without Oliver was like a piece of him was missing. There was just this void that Oliver should have filled.

After Oliver disappearance, Alex finished med school and now he's working at Starling General Hospital. Alex has always been independent, he had to be with his years spent on the streets. Alex also is very cautious from people, often distancing himself from everyone, but his family. Alex didn't have friends or relationships. He only had his family, so these five years without Oliver have been so lonely and boring for Alex. Oliver brought with him something that nobody else could. Alex could have moved on and made friends, but no one would accept and understand Alex like Oliver did. What Alex learned real quick was that there was only one Oliver and now he's back after five long miserable years.

Alex was quick to make it to the room where Oliver was being kept. The second he got the call he was heading right for Oliver. When he arrives Moira, Oliver's mother and Alex's adopted mother was standing outside the room with the doctor who was caring for Oliver. "Hey, Moira, how is he?" Alex asks, trying to get a glance at Oliver. Moira takes Alex's hand and squeezes.

"The doctor was just telling me." Alex turns and looks at the doctor, waiting to hear what he would say.

"Twenty percent of his body's covered in scar tissue." Alex frowns as he rubs his arms. He knew all about scars. He had a lot too. "Second-degree burns on his back and arms." Alex closes his eyes as he hears this. He had burns too. "X-rays show at least twelve fractures that never properly healed." Moira rubs Alex's back as they listen to the doctor. She knows of his scars. Only his family knows about the scars, but only Oliver and Robert know the truth behind those scars.

"Has he said anything about what happened?" Moira asks as Alex looks at Oliver, who stands with his back to the door, which had a window in it to allow them to see him.

"No, he barely said anything." The doctor admits, causing Alex to look at him. He can't really expect any different. He hadn't said anything for a whole month after he was adopted. "Moira, Alex, I'd like you both to prepare yourself. The Oliver you lost might not be the one they found." Alex already knows it's not. You can't go through what Oliver went through and be the same. Alex knows that whatever happened to Oliver on that island had to be terrible.

Moira opens the door and Alex follows through with her. "Oliver?" She calls, causing him to turn and look at them.

"Mom, Alex." Moira walks towards Oliver with tears in her eyes, while hung back.

"Oh, my beautiful boy." Alex stares out the window as pain fills his heart. He might be adopted, but there are days he knows he will never truly be a part of the family. He isn't Moira's son and she will never look upon him like she looks at Oliver.

"Alex." He glances over to see Oliver walking towards him. "Hey, baby brother." Alex smiles and Oliver moves and pulls him into his arms. Alex closes his eyes and hugs him back. "We have a lot to talk about."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Alex whispers.

"I'm not talking about the island." Alex frowns as he pulls out of the hug. Oliver's eyes dart to Moira and Alex understands, later.

"How about we head home, huh?" Moira suggests, causing Oliver to smile.

"Yeah, okay."

"I have work-" Alex begins.

"They'll understand, Alex. Come on, let's head home."

*****

"Your room is exactly as you left it." Moira begins as they walk through the doors of the estate. Alex always loved the place. It was so big and open. Alex had claustrophobia so big open spaces made him feel calm and relaxed. The place always smelled of wood polish and fresh flowers. Sometimes it smelt of candles that Moira put out occasionally. Alex senses are five times stronger than any living being, so good smelling scents like this always made him happy. To him, this felt like home. "I never had the heart to change a thing." Alex watches as Oliver takes in everything around him. This was his home even more so than Alex. Alex can only imagine what Oliver is thinking.

"Oliver." Alex bites back a sigh as he hears Walter. Personally, he thought Walter should have waited a bit before meeting Oliver. When Oliver left Moira was married to Robert and now after five years, she is married to Walter. A lot can change in a few years and Alex doesn't know if Oliver is ready for that. "It's damn good to see you." Oliver doesn't say anything, which is more like Alex than Oliver. Oliver never knew how to shut up, but it was Alex who believed that people should only talk when they have something to say, otherwise they're just blowing a lot of useless hot air. Seeing Oliver with nothing to say just shows Alex how much Oliver has changed. "It's Walter." Walter says, a bit hesitantly. "Walter Steele."

"You remember Walter." Moira tells Oliver. "Your father's friend from the company."

"Mom, maybe we should ease up on him." Alex cut in. "He's been gone a long time and Walter.... Oliver spent more time with his friends than he did at the company." Alex explains, causing Oliver to shoot him a look of gratitude. Oliver nods and moves around Walter for Raisa, the maid.

"It's good to see you, Raisa."

"Give him time, a lot has changed for him." Alex whispers to Moira before heading over to Oliver.

"Welcome home, Mr. Oliver." Raisa says as she embraces Oliver in a hug. "Mr. Merlyn phoned. He wants to join you for dinner." Alex hasn't seen much of Tommy since Oliver's disappearance. Alex was never the biggest fan of Tommy. Tommy was one of those rich kids who never got love from his parents, mostly because his mother had died, and so he used money to make himself feel better. The kid spent money as much as fish swim in water, which is a lot. He was the reason behind Oliver getting into so much trouble and he never understood what consequences were. He was spoiled, privileged, and oblivious to the world around him. He was what Alex hated about the upper class, but he kept his mouth shut.

"Wonderful." Moira says, despite Alex thinking otherwise. The sound of a door opening has Oliver looking towards the stairs. Alex knew who was upstairs and he can only imagine how happy Thea will be to see Oliver.   
"Oliver, did you hear that?" Oliver walks towards the stairs just as Thea comes around the corner.

"Hey, sis." He greets, causing Alex to smile. He leans against the wall and watches as Thea runs down the stairs.

"I knew it. I knew you were alive. I missed you so much." Alex looks away from the scene.

 _"You okay?"_ Alex sighs and closes his eyes.

_"Yeah, Vi, totally fine."_

"You okay, Alex?" Alex opens his eyes and looks towards Oliver.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm going to shower." Oliver says as he heads up the stairs. Alex knew Oliver wanted to talk, so he makes his way upstairs.

"I'm going to go help Oliver unpack." Alex announces to them before disappearing around the corner upstairs.

While Oliver showers Alex begins to unpack his bags. He didn't have much other than the wooden crate he brought with him. Inside Alex found a combat bow, a quiver, some arrows, a strange jaw of what looks to be herbs. "We need to talk." Alex glances up as Oliver walks in with only a towel on. Alex can see the scars that cover Oliver's body, ones similar to what he has.

"Yeah, we do." Alex says as he holds up the bow.

"Put the crate under the bed." Alex does as he is told and turns around to let Oliver get dressed.

"So... you went to an island and learned archery?"

"The yacht went under and the only people who made it on the raft was the captain, dad, and me." Alex nods in understanding.

"Okay, so what happened?"

"Dad..." Alex turns around, Oliver is now in jeans.

"Ollie, you can talk to me. You know I'll understand." Oliver nods and looks at the mirror.

"There wasn't enough food, so dad shot the captain then himself to insure that I survived."

"Shit."

"He gave me something." Oliver moves and pulls the crate back out, grabbing a small burned book from inside. "On here is a list of names. He told me how these men poisoned our city and that when I came back I had to right his wrongs, save this city, and cross the names off this list."

"What exactly are you saying, Oliver?" Alex asks as he looks at the book. He didn't know what to say right now. In Oliver's hand is a book of people that is supposedly poisoning the city and Oliver is supposed to do what? Kill them?

"Dad always told you that you were given your powers for a reason. What if that reason was to help people. These men are hurting the city and they must be stopped."

"By killing them?" Alex asks, looking up at Oliver.

"If it comes to that." Alex moves and sits on the bed.

"This is crazy, Ollie. You can't just... killing these men isn't the answer."

"Alex, I made a promise to my father that I would save our city and right his wrongs. Help me do that."

"Oliver, my powers-"

"Are a gift. You can do things no other humans can do. You run faster than the speed of light, you hear things that no beings should be able to hear, you're a human lightning bolt, and you heal in a blink of an eye. No one else can do that."

"No human. No one normal." Oliver frowns as Alex stands up. "I don't want to be like this Oliver. I don't want to be a lab rat. I don't want to be some powered-freak. What I want is to live a normal life. I don't want to dress up and play hero. I am saving lives every day in the E.R. That's where I belong. Not out on the streets taking down rich people like Robin Hood."

"I can't do this without you, Alex." Alex frowns and looks over at Oliver.

"I won't be my father."

"You won't be. You aren't a killer, Alex. You are not a monster. You are special and you can be a hero. You can use the gifts Nicolai gave you and put it to good use. Otherwise, why bother having them."

"That's the point, Oliver! I don't want them!" Alex snaps. "I don't want these powers. I don't want to be some freak that can make his hands spark. I don't want to be some monster that can kill a person in a millisecond. I don't want to be Alexander Cross. I want to be Alex Queen." Oliver and Alex stand there for a long tense silent second before Oliver finally spoke up.

"Alex, you are and always will be a Queen. You're my brother. I love you as much as I love Thea and mom. You know I accept you and you know I understand everything that you went through. I know your father made it hard for you to trust people, to let people in, to people near you. I know you're scared and I know you want to be normal, but you aren't normal Alex. I don't think you ever were meant to be normal. We all have a purpose in life. Maybe yours is your powers. Maybe you are meant to use those powers to save lives. To help those that can't help themselves. We could do that, together. Help people. We can help people by crossing off the names on this list. Please, help me."

"Welcome home Oliver." Alex mumbles as he walks towards the door.

"Alex-"

"I'm sorry, Oliver, but this is your destiny, not mine. I'm trying to stay low and have a normal life. I'm not going to ruin my chance."


	2. Chapter 2

Dinner is awkward. Tommy arrives, but Alex doesn't acknowledge him or Oliver, which everyone notices. Moira keeps trying to catch Alex's eyes, but he refuses to look up from his plate. They heard the yelling coming from Oliver's room, they know Alex and Oliver fought, but not why. Tommy fills the awkward silence but telling Oliver all about what he missed, but Alex zones him out. It was Thea that pulled Alex out of his brooding. "What was it like there?" Alex lifts his eyes and looks at Oliver. They all knew not to ask Alex about his life before the Queens found him. Alex was curious about how Oliver would react.

"Cold." Alex frowns and looks away. "What about you, Alex?" Alex froze as he felt Oliver's eyes on him. What was Oliver trying to do? Alex turns and looks at Oliver, anger, pain, and annoyance clear in Alex's dark blue eyes.

"I blocked most of it out, Oliver. Somewhere between being burned and getting shot." His voice is like venom and everyone could feel the burning hatred Alex had for his face in every word he spoke.

"Oliver-" Moira begins to say, but Alex spoke before she could.

"Glad to see you haven't changed, Oliver." Alex said as he stood up. "You're still an inconsiderate asshole. Welcome home." Alex left the room before he could be lectured by Moira. They all knew how Oliver was before the five-year disappearance, but Moira always covered it up and always acted oblivious, but there was no way Alex would let Oliver treat him like he treated others. Oliver walked all over people because he was rich and thought he was better than everyone else, but at least he treated Alex better than that or he used to. If Oliver doesn't get what he wants then he throws a fit.

Alex closes his eyes as he leans against the wall by the stairs. He could feel the heat of the electricity sparking his hands. If he looked down he knew he'd see the blue electricity engulfing his hands, but he didn't care.

_"Calm your anger, Alex. You are a ticking time bomb. Lose control and you blow up. Calm down."_

Alex closes his eyes and takes deep breaths. He does this several times before his heart slows and his eyes no longer have the familiar heat. "Aly." Alex opens his eyes and sees Oliver standing before him. "I'm sorry." Alex pushes Oliver away from him and starts up the stairs. "Aly-"

"Stop calling me that. You know I hate that nickname."

"That's why I call you it. It's the only way to get you to respond to me when you're pissed at me, which isn't often."

"That's because you normally have other targets for your anger."

"Alex." Oliver grabs Alex's arm and turns him in order to face him. "I'm sorry, okay. I am a selfish, inconsiderate, snobbish asshole, but I'm trying to be different. I'm not the same guy I was before the island. Surely you can see that."

"Yeah, now you have more baggage." Alex says as he pulls his arm free.

"Alex." Oliver sighs and follows after him. "I know what I said was a dick move and I know I shouldn't have tried pressured you into helping me, but I really can't do this without you." Alex ignores him and opens his door. "How do you feel when you save a life? Do you know how many people end up in your E.R because of these men. Why help one every night when you can go to the source and stop thousands." Alex pauses in the doorway. "Take out the source and you stop people from dying every day." Alex walks into his room. "Alex-"

"I'm tired, Oliver." Alex says as he turns to face Oliver. "I'm tired of trying to act normal. I'm tired of burying my feelings so I don't lose control. I'm tired of being constantly afraid of getting close to people. I'm just tired."

"Alex if you helped me-"

"Then I'd only feel worst. Using these powers can kill someone and I could lose control and kill the people you say I can protect. If I help you then that's it. I can't go back and I can't be normal. If I give into these powers then I can get rid of them, I can't ignore them. I want a normal life, Ollie and helping you will ensure that I never get it." Alex closes the door in Oliver's face, locking it for good measure, and begins to get ready for bed. He needs to get good night sleep for work tomorrow.

Alex sighs and falls back on his bed, staring up at his ceiling.  _"Alex-"_

"Don't start, Violet. I already know your thoughts on my powers. Just let me sleep."

_"You can't run from it forever, Alex and I'm not telling you to bury your feelings. You need to move on not ignore your past."_

"Drop it, Vi."

 _"Alex,"_ The female voice in his head sighs.  _"You're only hurting yourself more. You need to embrace your powers and you need to accept your past and move on. What happened to us was-"_

"Don't, Violet. Don't even start. You and Riley were his favorites. You can't possibly tell me what I need to accept and move on from. You didn't suffer like me."

 _"I may have been his favorite, but I still was forced to watch you suffer and that killed me every day."_  Alex rolls his eyes and lets out a heavy sigh.

"Yeah, I'm sure being scar free and having to see me filled scars hurt you so much." Alex closes his eyes. "Stop trying to help Violet. I'm not a charity case and I don't need you to save me." A smile comes to Alex's lips. "Accept and move on."

_"Ass."_

*****

_Screams fill the building as Alex is pulled out of his cell by a strong hand holding onto his long red hair. "Let go of me!" He screams, thrashing against the man. "Let go of me!"_

_"Papa, stop!" A young girl cries. Her hair is black, while her eyes are a starling gray. "Please, let him go."_

_"What did we talk about, Violet?" The man holding Alex asks as he throws the boy to the ground. "Maybe Riley can tell you. Riley?" The man turns to another boy, who sits beside 'Violet'. This boy looks just like Alex, the same red hair and the same pale freckled skin. The only difference between the two boys is that the one known as Riley has purple eyes, which are so exotic and strange._

_"Bad boys get punished, Violet. Alex has been bad." Riley cocks his head at Alex. "Can I punish him, father?"_

_"Riley, stop-" Riley turns to Violet, a knife floating in the air and aimed right for her throat._

_"That'll do, Riley." The knife drops to the floor with a clatter, while Riley turns back to the man. "I'll handle this. Alex, get up." Alex looks up from the floor, his eyes an electric blue._

_"One day, Nicolai, I will kill you."_

*****

Alex squeezes his eyes shut as his mind replays the memory over and over again. "Alex, baby, are you okay?" Alex opens his eyes to see Moira kneeling by him. He had another nightmare and like he did every time he had a nightmare Alex would hide away in his closet where he felt safe. Those memories filled his mind every day and every day becomes harder to breathe. "Did you have another nightmare?" Alex nods, not able to speak. "Maybe you should talk to Dr. Reed about sleeping medicine." She says as she rubs Alex's leg to try to comfort him.

"They don't work." Alex manages to say, his voice shaky and quiet.

"Well, this closet isn't working for me. It was cute when you were a kid, but you're getting a bit too big to hide in your closet. Come on, Alex." She takes his hand and pulls him up and out of the closet. "Let's go and see if we can't get some hot cocoa." A smile comes to Alex's face as they walk out of his room. No matter how old he becomes, he is still a kid at heart. Moira always knows what to do to make Alex feel better.

The two walk into the kitchen where Walter is already drinking his coffee. "You're up early, Alex." He says, but Alex isn't in the mood to talk to Walter right now.

"Run the hot water, Alex. I'll get the packets." Alex does as he is told and runs the water, while Moira talks to Walter about his plans at the office for that day. While they're talking Alex stares at the hot water. He moves his hand, letting it go under the hot steaming water. His hand turns red and a burning feeling comes over his hand, but when he pulls it away his hand is back to normal.

"Alex, what are you doing? The water's hot. You don't want to burn yourself." Moira says as she dries his hand off. Alex looks at her, his eyes distant and unfocused. "What's going through that head, baby?" Moira pushes Alex's hair out of his face and caresses his cheek lovingly. He might not be her real son, but she still cared and loved him as if he was.

When Alex had nightmares he always withdraws inside himself. He doesn't speak much and he always seems as if he's not really with you, but stuck inside his own mind. "Alex?" Alex glances over at Walter and sees the concern look on the man's face.

"I'm fine." Alex voice is void of any emotion and weak, which tells Moira that he isn't.

"I'm going to call Dr. Reed and see if she can schedule you in for today. I think you could use an extra visit." Alex doesn't answer back as he looks back at the hot water.

"Did you grab the mugs?"

"I'll get them now." Moira says as she runs a hand over Alex's head before moving towards the cupboard to grab two mugs for them.

"What's going on?" Moira and Alex turn and see Oliver walking in with Thea.

"Nothing, go back to bed." Moira says as Oliver stares at Alex, who purposely isn't looking at him.

"Aly, you okay?" This gets a reaction from Alex. The glare Alex gives Oliver startles them all.

"Stop calling me that." His voice is sharp and harsh, causing Oliver to flinch.

"Oliver, your brother is fine, go back to bed." Moira says as she wraps an arm around Alex, pulling him towards her. She kisses the top of his head, trying to make him relax. Oliver frowns but does as he is told and leaves. Thea stays for a moment, looking at Alex as if trying to understand him much like everyone else. His family has known him for a long time, but they still don't truly know him. Alex doesn't let anyone inside his mind. He doesn't let anyone know what he is thinking. There is still so much they don't know about Alex and they know it.

Moira begins to hum a soft melody that has Alex relaxing in seconds. His earlier tense body now has gone slack. He rests his head against Moira, who runs her hand through his hair in a soothing motion. Alex pulls away a second later and looks at the mugs. Moira gets the hint and starts filling the cups up with the hot cocoa powder from the packets before filling them up with hot water. "What's that melody?" Walter asks as Moira continues to hum it.

"It's Alex's melody. He hums it quite often. I don't know if there are any words to it, but it helps him." She tells Walter as Alex sits on the counters, a leg up to his chest and his chin resting on his knee. In the time that Moira stopped humming, Alex took over. He hums quietly and soothingly. The melody is slow and gentle. It was obviously a melody to help kids sleep. It was something a mother would hum to a child to put him to bed. Moira can only think Alex's mother was the one who taught him that.

 _"Close your eyes. Let your mind ease. Don't worry anymore. You are safe, beneath the clouds. Close your eyes. Let your mind ease. Don't worry anymore. You are safe, beneath the clouds."_ Alex closes his eyes as the words filled his mind.

"Here you go, baby." Alex opens his eyes and accepts the cup from his mother. "Careful, it's hot." Moira says. She often finds herself needing to warn Alex because he is like a child with no sense of danger or caution. He'll drink his hot cocoa without even thinking about getting burned. He is reckless and Moira wonders if not a little oblivious to the dangers.

Alex moves and lets his cheek rest on his knees as he stares out the window of the kitchen. His melody going back in a soft hum from him. Moira moves and sits by Walter. There is some days when Alex's quiet void self-was a little scary to Moira. Watching her usually kind and welcoming son become so distant and emotionless always filled her with dread and fear. She's afraid that one day Alex will remain in this state and never come back. She doesn't know what his dreams are about, but she knows they are bad. They take apart of him each night they come.

She had hoped that Oliver arrival would help Alex. He has been having the nightmares for often this year, but Oliver and Alex were fighting and Moira knew it was causing Alex to relapse into who he was when he first arrived at the manor.

_Alex walks into the manor behind Robert. He was telling Alex all about his family and his home, but Alex wasn't listening. He was looking around the manor with a void expression. "Alex, what do you think?" Robert asks as he kneels down in front of the young boy. Alex looks at him with that expressionless face, void of any emotion or thought. It's been like this since the beginning. Robert was trying to get the boy to open up, but the boy had thick walls surrounding him and he wasn't letting anyone through._

_"Robert?" Alex turns upon hearing a woman's voice and sees Moira walking through a doorway. "Oh, is this the boy, Robert." Alex stares at Moira with a look of surprise and wonder. He has never seen a mother before. The closest he had was Violet._

_"Ar-Are you going to be my mother?" Robert looks at Alex, surprise with Alex acknowledging the woman whereas he was elsewhere previously._

_"Yes, Alex, I'm going to be your mother." She says as she kneels down before the boy._

_"I never had a mother before." Moira looks at Alex with such a sad look._

_"Well, you have one now, baby. I'm going to care for you." Alex takes a step towards Moira before stopping. "It's okay, I won't hurt you." Alex moves and wraps his arms around Moira, who holds the poor boy. She didn't know what he went through out there, but she knew he went through hell. He was shaking like a leaf and she could hear sniffles. "I promise, I'll protect you, baby. I'll protect you."_

Moira looks at Alex, now grown and growing more distant every day. She remembers how long it took for Alex to open up to the others as he did to her. It was only her that he should interest or any emotions for. Now, even she isn't enough to bring Alex back. Her fear that Alex will close off completely is growing worst each night. She doesn't know how to bring him back anymore and she's scared.

Even the hot cocoa isn't bringing him out of his void state. Only Oliver manages to get Alex to break out of it and it was out of anger. "Alex?" Moira tries again, desperate to get some sort of response from him. Alex looks at her again with that void stare. Moira doesn't know what to do or what to say. She's losing him, she can feel it. Moira feels tears in her eyes as she walks towards him. She takes his cup, placing beside him before wrapping her arms around him. Alex rests his chin on top of her head as he closes his eyes.

 _"I'll protect you."_   Alex sighs as he opens his eyes.

"I'm fine, mom, it was just a nightmare." Moira struggles not to cry as she hears the tiredness and emotion in Alex's voice. She pulls back and looks at Alex. He has that small smile on his face and his eyes look clearer. "You okay?" Alex asks as he sees the tears.

"I'm just glad you're okay, Alex. I'm glad you're still here." Alex's eyes flicker with confusion, but Moira just pulls him back into her arms. He rests his cheek on her head and looks out the window. His melody coming back to life and filling the kitchen.


End file.
